Lobster Farming

Commercial lobster farming is becoming very popular day by day and it’s a very profitable business. Among all the highly-priced marine crustacean, lobsters are larger in size. A mature lobster weights between 250 to 400 grams. Lobster farming with carp or other fish species is very profitable and easy. If you wish to start lobster farming business, then you can cultivate only lobsters in a pond or with other fish species like rui, katla, mrigal etc. Here I am describing the steps for staring lobster farming business.

Pond Selection
The pond management for lobster farming should done well. The pond, where the lobster will be cultivated needs more oxygen than usual. Selected pond must have to suitable enough for changing frequently. So, it will be better if you select the pond near a river or canal. Doing this will ensure constant water supply. If any source of natural water like river or canal is not available, then you have to setup a tube well for continuous water supply. Sandy soil is better for lobster farming. Ensure sufficient availability of the sun light. It would be better if there are no big trees near the shore of pond. The area or size of the pond may be any depending on your production type. But it would be better, if the pond is constructed over at least one acre of land. The depth of the pond must be between 1 to 1.5 miter.

Preparing the Pond
At first, remove water from the pond and make it dry. You will be able to remove all types of carnival and unwanted fish species from the pond by making it dry. Drying also remove harmful gas and virus from the pond. Apply 3 grams of rotenon (harmful aquatic insects and fish killer) per each cubic meter, if it is not possible to dry the pond. Applying rotenon or something else related to this will fully remove all types harmful fish species from pond. After that apply 100 kg of lime per acre. After 5 to 7 days of applying lime in the pond, apply 500 kg cow-dung, 10 kg nitrogen, 5 kg TSP and 2 kg of MAP per acres. Keeping favorable environment in the pond is very essential for successful lobster farming business.

Selecting Lobster Species
There are numerous lobster species available. Among those species farming adik-adik, bamboo and tiger lobsters are very profitable. Because these species grow faster and have huge demand and price in the local and international market. This three species are different from each other like their name. The adik-adik lobsters are of reddish black in color. Bamboo lobsters have striped legs and it’s seems like bamboos. On the other hand tiger lobsters have spotted legs. You can choose any of these breeds depending on your location and desired production type.Stocking Larvae
Stock the larvae after 5 to 7 days of applying fertilizer in the pond (when the water become green colored). The number of the larvae depends on the size of your pond. The number of larvae also depends on the fertility of soil, availability of supplementary feed and proper management. In general management 10,000 pieces of larvae can be stocked per acre. If you can ensure constant water supply and supplementary feed management, then you can stock more larvae. Lobster larvae don’t grow well in a high stocking density. They may fight with each other if they face supplementary feed lacking. Be more careful during caring the larvae from the hatchery. Good and high quality lobster larvae increase the possibilities of more profit from lobster farming business. So always try to purchase the larvae form good and reputable hatcheries.

Supplementary Feed
You can notice the production of harmful gas in the pond, after applying fertilizers. So remove the gas first to get proper growth of lobster larvae. You can ensure enough natural food for your lobster larvae by applying fertilizer in the pond. But this natural feed is not sufficient. So you have to provide supplementary feed in the pond. Actually proper growth and profit in lobster farming business depends on providing adequate and quality supplementary feed. Notice the chert below to have an idea about the ingredients of 1 kg supplementary lobster feed.

Wheat Chaff

600 g

Mustard Cake

150 g

Kipper Powder

250 g

Snail Powder

95 g

Salt

3 g

Vitamins

2 g

Total

1000 g/1 kg

Applying Method
Provide 4 percent of supplementary feed daily according to the body weights of the lobsters. Feed them twice a day. Once in the morning and rest in the evening. Amount of providing supplementary feed per 1000 lobster according to their age are listed on the following chert.

Age

Amount

First Month

15 g

Second Month

75 g

Third Month

150 g

Fourth Month

400 g

Fifth Month

1 kg

Sixth Month

2 kg

Seventh Month

2.5 kg to 3.0 kg

Fertilizer
Using fertilizer in the pond is very necessary for lobster farming business. Applying fertilizer in the pond helps to increase the natural food production for the lobsters. Lobsters change their shell at different stages of their life. They become very sick when they change their shell. So you have to take extra care during this time. You can keep some tree branches or bamboo in the pond during this time. It will provide them shelter and help to prevent mutual attack.

Collecting Lobster
Generally lobster reach marketing weight, when they reach 6 to 7 months of age. You can start collecting lobsters, when they reach more than 100 grams weight. You can collect lobsters from the pond by using various types of net. Keep the lobsters in dry place or store using ice. If you follow all the steps described above, then you will be able to produce 800 to 1000 kg lobsters from a pond of 1 acre. And it will definitely ensure maximum profit from your lobster farming business.

Dear sir .
This is Mr Alkindi and am ready to start buseniss with you sir in UAE ( Dubai )
Planing to have Lobster farm with your help and experience. . Or to start selling in UAE market and Arabian Gulf market .

On an average, you can stock about 7,000 to 10,000 lobster per acre. That means, you can stock about 2100000 to 3000000 lobster in your 300 acres land. Ensure proper feed and other care and management. Thank you!

We don’t know whether any lobster hatchery is available in your area or not. If available, then you can purchase some larvae and start feeding them. You can follow the feeding chart mentioned above or purchase ready-made lobster feed form the market. Thank you!

I am on an eco friendly ambition and one of my quests is to lobster farm.
The farm is located in the Coatal Region of Kenya two hours from Mombas Island known as Kilifi. The land sits on coral lime stone and has been illegally excavated over the years hence the reason to rehabilitate the excavated parts into a lobster/fish/shrimp ponds.
I am looking at 1-2 acres for this. So the question is, can I shape out the ponds to the specs in this article using a coral lime stone pond bed i.e. without having to plaster the pond with concrete?

I have 5 acer block of glasshouse which was used for tomato growing it has a 2 million gal rubber lined reservoir fill by rain water and a fast running stream by the side of that I like to reuse all these facilities and make fish /lobster farm can you send al facts and figures and supplies of equipment so that I can put Business plan together if that possible please e mail me so that I can talk to you about this

I am still in work but planning quit the work an to start sea water lobster farming in N. cyprus. No experience But I belive I can do it. Can you share your experience with me in this respect.?
Thank you in advance.

Hi,
I have 3 acres of land ..and I am interested in cultivation of lobsters.
I am totally new into this and doesnt even know abcd of lobster business…So can you please help me in understanding the business…knowing market for lobster….price etc.

You can visit some farms for understanding the business practically. Visiting some farms and discussing with the farmers will give you enough knowledge about the business. And lobsters are highly priced in the international market. If you can visit any farm and discuss with the existing farmers in your area or country then you will get enough idea about marketing system. By the way, where are you from? Thank you!

Hi Sir,
This is Magesh from Chennai, India. We have 2 acres of land we are doing farming of vegetables we have 2 well in our land always water available now we planning to farm lobster can u pls advise what are the requirements to start the lobster farming & how to make pond and provide us pond design

In case of earthen pond, you can follow the traditional design mentioned on our pond management webpage. Before constructing pond in your land, check the quality of soil and water in your area by an expert or from any fisheries institute and ask them whether your land is suitable for lobster farming or not. Then you can follow the farming methods mentioned above. It will be better if you can visit any lobster farm in your area practically. Thank you!

Hi,
I am from Mumbai, India. I want to start fish farm. I am considering to buy land in Palghar (which is near seashore).
After going through many online documents, it seems clawed lobster to be the best bait. However, it also seems that lobster farming has not been very successful. Do we have any successful lobster farms in or around Maharastra, so that I can visit them and get necessary help?
Any further assistance would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Prashant B

We are looking forward to setup a salt water lobster farm in a lagoon (not so deep) in the Maldives. We have many tourist resort hotels and lobsters hare very expensive here. Therefore, we are quite confident that a sea water lobster farm would be quite successful in the Maldives.

Is it possible for you to set up a lobster farm in the Maldives or start a lobster farm as a joint business. Please reply

I would to know if you are selling lobster larvae how much is your price for lobster larvae.
Please indicate the species of lobster larvae available and time you can prepare for 10,000 larvae. Cirilo B. Burgos